_The songs of Demodocus.--The convoy home.--The mariners transformed
to stone.--The young shepherd._
When it was day-light, Alcinous caused it to be proclaimed by the
heralds about the town, that there was come to the palace a stranger,
shipwrecked on their coast, that in mien and person resembled a god:
and inviting all the chief people of the city to come and do honour to
the stranger.
The palace was quickly filled with guests, old and young, for whose
cheer, and to grace Ulysses more, Alcinous made a kingly feast with
banquetings and music. Then Ulysses being seated at a table next the
king and queen, in all men's view; after they had feasted, Alcinous
ordered Demodocus, the court-singer, to be called to sing some song
of the deeds of heroes, to charm the ear of his guest. Demodocus came
and reached his harp, where it hung between two pillars of silver: and
then the blind singer, to whom, in recompense of his lost sight, the
muses had given an inward discernment, a soul and a voice to excite
the hearts of men and gods to delight, began in grave and solemn
strains to sing the glories of men highliest famed. He chose a poem,
whose subject was, The stern Strife stirred up between Ulysses and
great Achilles, as at a banquet sacred to the gods in dreadful
language they expressed their difference; while Agamemnon sat rejoiced
in soul to hear those Grecians jar: for the oracle in Pytho had told
him, that the period of their wars in Troy should then be, when the
kings of Greece, anxious to arrive at the wished conclusion, should
fall to strife, and contend which must end the war, force or
stratagem.
This brave contention he expressed so to the life, in the very words
which they both used in the quarrel, as brought tears into the eyes of
Ulysses at the remembrance of past passages of his life, and he held
his large purple weed before his face to conceal it. Then craving a
cup of wine, he poured it out in secret libation to the gods, who had
put into the mind of Demodocus unknowingly to do him so much honour.
But when the moving poet began to tell of other occurrences where
Ulysses had been present, the memory of his brave followers who had
been with him in all difficulties, now swallowed up and lost in the
ocean, and of those kings that had fought with him at Troy, some of
whom were dead, some exiles like himself, forced itself so strongly
upon his mind, that forgetful where he was, he sobbed outright with
passion; which yet he restrained, but not so cunningly but Alcinous
perceived it, and without taking notice of it to Ulysses, privately
gave signs that Demodocus should cease from his singing.
Next followed dancing in the Phæacian fashion, when they would shew
respect to their guests; which was succeeded by trials of skill, games
of strength, running, racing, hurling of the quoit, mock fights,
hurling of the javelin, shooting with the bow: in some of which
Ulysses modestly challenging his entertainers, performed such feats of
strength and prowess as gave the admiring Phæacians fresh reason to
imagine that he was either some god, or hero of the race of the gods.
These solemn shows and pageants in honour of his guest, king Alcinous
continued for the space of many days, as if he could never be weary of
shewing courtesies to so worthy a stranger. In all this time he never
asked him his name, nor sought to know more of him than he of his own
accord disclosed: till on a day as they were seated feasting, after
the feast was ended, Demodocus being called, as was the custom, to
sing some grave matter, sang how Ulysses, on that night when Troy
was fired, made dreadful proof of his valour, maintaining singly a
combat against the whole household of Deiphobus, to which the divine
expresser gave both act and passion, and breathed such a fire into
Ulysses's deeds, that it inspired old death with life in the lively
expressing of slaughters, and rendered life so sweet and passionate
in the hearers, that all who heard felt it fleet from them in the
narration: which made Ulysses even pity his own slaughterous deeds,
and feel touches of remorse, to see how song can revive a dead man
from the grave, yet no way can it defend a living man from death: and
in imagination he underwent some part of death's horrors, and felt in
his living body a taste of those dying pangs which he had dealt to
others; that with the strong conceit, tears (the true interpreters of
unutterable emotion) stood in his eyes.
Which king Alcinous noting, and that this was now the second time that
he had perceived him to be moved at the mention of events touching the
Trojan wars, he took occasion to ask whether his guest had lost any
friend or kinsman at Troy, that Demodocus's singing had brought into
his mind. Then Ulysses, drying the tears with his cloak, and observing
that the eyes of all the company were upon him, desirous to give them
satisfaction in what he could, and thinking this a fit time to reveal
his true name and destination, spake as follows:
"The courtesies which ye all have shewn me, and in particular yourself
and princely daughter, O king Alcinous, demand from me that I should
no longer keep you in ignorance of what or who I am; for to reserve
any secret from you, who have with such openness of friendship
embraced my love, would argue either a pusillanimous or an ungrateful
mind in me. Know then that I am that _Ulysses_, of whom I perceive ye
have heard something; who heretofore have filled the world with the
renown of my policies. I am he by whose counsels, if Fame is to be
believed at all, more than by the united valour of all the Grecians,
Troy fell. I am that unhappy man whom the heavens and angry gods have
conspired to keep an exile on the seas, wandering to seek my home
which still flies from me. The land which I am in quest of is Ithaca;
in whose ports some ship belonging to your navigation-famed Phæacian
state may haply at some time have found a refuge from tempests. If
ever you have experienced such kindness, requite it now; by granting
to me, who am the king of that land, a passport to that land."
Admiration seized all the court of Alcinous, to behold in their
presence one of the number of those heroes who fought at Troy, whose
divine story had been made known to them by songs and poems, but of
the truth they had little known, or rather they had hitherto accounted
those heroic exploits as fictions and exaggerations of poets; but
having seen and made proof of the real Ulysses, they began to take
those supposed inventions to be real verities, and the tale of Troy to
be as true as it was delightful.
Then king Alcinous made answer: "Thrice fortunate ought we to esteem
our lot, in having seen and conversed with a man of whom report hath
spoken so loudly, but, as it seems, nothing beyond the truth. Though
we could desire no felicity greater than to have you always among
us, renowned Ulysses, yet your desire having been expressed so often
and so deeply to return home, we can deny you nothing, though to our
own loss. Our kingdom of Phæacia, as you know, is chiefly rich in
shipping. In all parts of the world, where there are navigable seas,
or ships can pass, our vessels will be found. You cannot name a coast
to which they do not resort. Every rock and every quick-sand is known
to them that lurks in the vast deep. They pass a bird in flight; and
with such unerring certainty they make to their destination, that
some have said that they have no need of pilot or rudder, but that
they move instinctively, self-directed, and know the minds of their
voyagers. Thus much, that you may not fear to trust yourself in one of
our Phæacian ships. To-morrow if you please you shall launch forth.
To-day spend with us in feasting; who never can do enough when the
gods send such visitors."
Ulysses acknowledged king Alcinous's bounty; and while these two royal
personages stood interchanging courteous expressions, the heart of the
princess Nausicaa was overcome: she had been gazing attentively upon
her father's guest, as he delivered his speech; but when he came
to that part where he declared himself to be Ulysses, she blessed
herself, and her fortune, that in relieving a poor ship-wrecked
mariner, as he seemed no better, she had conferred a kindness on so
divine a hero as he proved: and scarce waiting till her father had
done speaking, with a cheerful countenance she addressed Ulysses,
bidding him be cheerful, and when he returned home, as by her father's
means she trusted he would shortly, sometimes to remember to whom he
owed his life, and who met him in the woods by the river Callicoe.
"Fair flower of Phæacia," he replied, "so may all the gods bless me
with the strife of joys in that desired day, whenever I shall see it,
as I shall always acknowledge to be indebted to your fair hand for the
gift of life which I enjoy, and all the blessings which shall follow
upon my home-return. The gods give thee, Nausicaa, a princely husband;
and from you two spring blessings to this state." So prayed Ulysses,
his heart overflowing with admiration and grateful recollections of
king Alcinous's daughter.
Then at the king's request he gave them a brief relation of all the
adventures that had befallen him, since he launched forth from Troy:
during which the princess Nausicaa took great delight (as ladies are
commonly taken with these kind of travellers' stories) to hear of the
monster Polyphemus, of the men that devour each other in Læstrygonia,
of the enchantress Circe, of Scylla, and the rest; to which she
listened with a breathless attention, letting fall a shower of tears
from her fair eyes every now and then, when Ulysses told of some more
than usual distressful passage in his travels: and all the rest of
his auditors, if they had before entertained a high respect for their
guest, now felt their veneration increased ten-fold, when they learned
from his own mouth what perils, what sufferance, what endurance, of
evils beyond man's strength to support, this much-sustaining, almost
heavenly man, by the greatness of his mind, and by his invincible
courage, had struggled through.
The night was far spent before Ulysses had ended his narrative, and
with wishful glances he cast his eyes towards the eastern parts, which
the sun had begun to flecker with his first red: for on the morrow
Alcinous had promised that a bark should be in readiness to convoy him
to Ithaca.
In the morning a vessel well manned and appointed was waiting for him;
into which the king and queen heaped presents of gold and silver,
massy plate, apparel, armour, and whatsoever things of cost or rarity
they judged would be most acceptable to their guest: and the sails
being set, Ulysses embarking with expressions of regret took his leave
of his royal entertainers, of the fair princess (who had been his
first friend,) and of the peers of Phæacia; who crowding down to the
beach to have the last sight of their illustrious visitant, beheld the
gallant ship with all her canvas spread, bounding and curvetting over
the waves, like a horse proud of his rider; or as if she knew that in
her capacious womb's rich freightage she bore Ulysses.
He whose life past had been a series of disquiets, in seas among rude
waves, in battles amongst ruder foes, now slept securely, forgetting
all; his eye-lids bound in such deep sleep, as only yielded to death:
and when they reached the nearest Ithacan port by the next morning, he
was still asleep. The mariners not willing to awake him, landed him
softly, and laid him in a cave at the foot of an olive tree, which
made a shady recess in that narrow harbour, the haunt of almost
none but the sea-nymphs, which are called Naiads; few ships before
this Phæacian vessel having put into that haven, by reason of the
difficulty and narrowness of the entrance. Here leaving him asleep,
and disposing in safe places near him the presents with which king
Alcinous had dismissed him, they departed for Phæacia; where these
wretched mariners never again set foot; but just as they arrived,
and thought to salute their country earth; in sight of their city's
turrets, and in open view of their friends who from the harbour with
shouts greeted their return; their vessel and all the mariners which
were in her were turned to stone, and stood transformed and fixed in
sight of the whole Phæacian city, where it yet stands, by Neptune's
vindictive wrath; who resented thus highly the contempt which those
Phæacians had shown in convoying home a man whom the god had destined
to destruction. Whence it comes to pass that the Phæacians at this day
will at no price be induced to lend their ships to strangers, or to
become the carriers for other nations, so highly do they still dread
the displeasure of the sea-god, while they see that terrible monument
ever in sight.
When Ulysses awoke, which was not till some time after the mariners
had departed, he did not at first know his country again, either that
long absence had made it strange, or that Minerva (which was more
likely) had cast a cloud about his eyes, that he should have greater
pleasure hereafter in discovering his mistake: but like a man suddenly
awaking in some desart isle, to which his sea-mates have transported
him in his sleep, he looked around, and discerning no known objects,
he cast his hands to heaven for pity, and complained on those ruthless
men who had beguiled him with a promise of conveying him home to his
country, and perfidiously left him to perish in an unknown land. But
then the rich presents of gold and silver given him by Alcinous, which
he saw carefully laid up in secure places near him, staggered him:
which seemed not like the act of wrongful or unjust men, such as turn
pirates for gain, or land helpless passengers in remote coasts to
possess themselves of their goods.
While he remained in this suspence, there came up to him a young
shepherd, clad in the finer sort of apparel, such as kings' sons
wore in those days when princes did not disdain to tend sheep, who
accosting him, was saluted again by Ulysses, who asked him what
country that was, on which he had been just landed, and whether it
were part of a continent, or an island. The young shepherd made show
of wonder, to hear any one ask the name of that land; as country
people are apt to esteem those for mainly ignorant and barbarous who
do not know the names of places which are familiar to _them_, though
perhaps they who ask have had no opportunities of knowing, and may
have come from far countries.
"I had thought," said he, "that all people knew our land. It is rocky
and barren, to be sure; but well enough: it feeds a goat or an ox
well; it is not wanting neither in wine or in wheat; it has good
springs of water, some fair rivers; and wood enough, as you may see:
it is called Ithaca."
Ulysses was joyed enough to find himself in his own country; but so
prudently he carried his joy, that dissembling his true name and
quality, he pretended to the shepherd that he was only some foreigner
who by stress of weather had put into that port; and framed on the
sudden a story to make it plausible, how he had come from Crete in
a ship of Phæacia; when the young shepherd laughing, and taking
Ulysses's hand in both his, said to him: "He must be cunning, I find,
who thinks to over-reach you. What, cannot you quit your wiles and
your subtleties, now that you are in a state of security? must the
first word with which you salute your native earth be an untruth? and
think you that you are unknown?"
Ulysses looked again; and he saw, not a shepherd, but a beautiful
woman, whom he immediately knew to be the goddess Minerva, that in the
wars of Troy had frequently vouchsafed her sight to him; and had been
with him since in perils, saving him unseen.
"Let not my ignorance offend thee, great Minerva," he cried, "or move
thy displeasure, that in that shape I knew thee not; since the skill
of discerning of deities is not attainable by wit or study, but hard
to be hit by the wisest of mortals. To know thee truly through all thy
changes is only given to those whom thou art pleased to grace. To all
men thou takest all likenesses. All men in their wits think that they
know thee, and that they have thee. Thou art wisdom itself. But a
semblance of thee, which is false wisdom, often is taken for thee: so
thy counterfeit view appears to many, but thy true presence to few:
those are they which, loving thee above all, are inspired with light
from thee to know thee. But this I surely know, that all the time the
sons of Greece waged war against Troy, I was sundry times graced with
thy appearance; but since, I have never been able to set eyes upon
thee till now: but have wandered at my own discretion, to myself a
blind guide, erring up and down the world, wanting thee."
Then Minerva cleared his eyes, and he knew the ground on which he
stood to be Ithaca, and that cave to be the same which the people of
Ithaca had in former times made sacred to the sea-nymphs, and where he
himself had done sacrifices to them a thousand times; and full in his
view stood Mount Nerytus with all his woods: so that now he knew for a
certainty that he was arrived in his own country, and with the delight
which he felt he could not forbear stooping down and kissing the soil.